View source for Hank Aaron

{{short description|American baseball player (1934–2021)}}
{{Redirect|Henry Aaron|the economist |Henry J. Aaron}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|image=Hank Aaron 1974.jpg
|caption=Aaron with the Atlanta Braves in 1974
|position=[[Right fielder]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date|1934|2|5}}
|birth_place=[[Mobile, Alabama]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|2021|1|22|1934|2|5}} <!-- confirmed by multiple RS in text -->
|death_place=[[Atlanta]], Georgia, U.S. <!-- ditto-->
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 13
|debutyear=1954
|debutteam=Milwaukee Braves
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=October 3
|finalyear=1976
|finalteam=Milwaukee Brewers
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.305
|stat3label=[[Home run]]s
|stat3value=755
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value=3,771
|stat4label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat4value=2,297
|teams=
* [[Milwaukee Braves|Milwaukee]] / [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|1954}}–{{mlby|1974}})
* [[Milwaukee Brewers]] ({{mlby|1975}}–{{mlby|1976}})
|highlights = 
* 25×<!-- 25 is correct. There were 2 All-Star games held from 1959 to 1962. --> [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1955 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1955]]–[[1975 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1975]])
* [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1957}})
* [[NL MVP]] (1957)
* 3× [[Gold Glove Award]] (1958–1960)
* 2× [[List of Major League Baseball batting champions|NL batting champion]] (1956, 1959)
* 4× [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders|NL home run leader]] (1957, 1963, 1966, 1967)
* 4× [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders|NL RBI leader]] (1957, 1960, 1963, 1966)
* [[Atlanta Braves#Retired numbers|Atlanta Braves No. 44]] retired
* [[Milwaukee Brewers#Retired numbers|Milwaukee Brewers No. 44]] retired
* [[Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame|Braves Hall of Fame]]
* [[Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor]]
* [[American Family Field Walk of Fame]]
* [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]
'''MLB records'''
* 2,297 career runs batted in
* 6,856 career total bases
* 1,477 career extra-base hits
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate=[[1982 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1982]]
|hofvote=97.8% (first ballot)
| module          = {{Infobox person|embed=yes
 | signature       = Hank Aaron sig.svg
 }} 
}}

'''Henry Louis Aaron''' (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "'''Hammer'''" or "'''Hammerin' Hank'''", was an American professional [[baseball]] [[right fielder]] who played 23 seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one of the greatest baseball players in history, he spent 21 seasons with the [[Milwaukee Braves|Milwaukee]] / [[Atlanta Braves]] in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) and two seasons with the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] in the [[American League]] (AL). At the time of his retirement, Aaron held most of the game's key career [[Power hitter|power-hitting]] records. He broke the long-standing [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders|MLB record]] for career [[home run]]s held by [[Babe Ruth]] and remained the career leader for 33 years, until [[Barry Bonds]] surpassed his famous total of 755 in 2007. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players (the other being [[Alex Rodriguez]]) to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least 15 times.<ref name="aaron-bbref" />

Aaron holds the MLB records for the most career [[runs batted in]] (RBIs) (2,297), [[extra base hit]]s (1,477), and [[total bases]] (6,856). He is also third all-time for career [[hit (baseball)|hits]] (3,771) and fifth in [[run (baseball)|runs]] scored (2,174). Aaron is one of only four players to have at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits. His ability as a hitter can be illustrated by his still having over [[3,000 hit club|3,000 hits]] even without counting any of his home runs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simon |first1=Andrew |date=April 7, 2024 |title=13 stats that show Hank Aaron's significance |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-s-best-stats-and-accomplishments |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]] |access-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-date=April 14, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250414164616/https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-s-best-stats-and-accomplishments |url-status=live }}</ref> Aaron was an NL [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] for 20 seasons and an AL All-Star for one season, and he holds the record for the most All-Star selections (25),{{efn|Major League Baseball held two All-Star Games for the years from 1959 to 1962.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/sports/baseball/15sandomir.html?ref=sports |title=When Midsummer Had Two Classics |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 15, 2008 |archive-date=April 17, 2009 |access-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417070713/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/sports/baseball/15sandomir.html?ref=sports |url-status=live }}</ref>}} while sharing the record for most All-Star Games played (24) with [[Willie Mays]] and [[Stan Musial]]. Aaron was a three-time [[Gold Glove Award|Gold Glove]] winner, and in 1957, he won the NL [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award]] when the Milwaukee Braves won the [[1957 World Series|World Series]].<ref name="aaron-bbref">{{cite web |title=Henry Aaron Career Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aaronha01.shtml |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |access-date=March 27, 2018 |archive-date=June 23, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623201923/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aaronha01.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

Aaron was born and raised in and around [[Mobile, Alabama]], one of eight children. He appeared briefly in the [[Negro American League]] and in [[minor league baseball]] before starting his major league career.<ref name="sabr-aaron">{{cite web |last=Johnson |first=Bill |title=Hank Aaron (SABR BioProject) |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/hank-aaron/ |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]}}</ref> By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. During his time in Major League Baseball, and especially during his run for the home run record, Aaron and his family endured extensive racist threats.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jhaveri |first=Hemal |date=January 1, 2021 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |title=Hank Aaron's searing words on the racism he faced should never be forgotten |department=For the Win |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/01/hank-aaron-searing-quote-on-racism-he-faced-shouldnt-be-forgotten |access-date=January 28, 2021 |archive-date=February 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202100615/https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/01/hank-aaron-searing-quote-on-racism-he-faced-shouldnt-be-forgotten |url-status=live}}</ref> His experiences fueled his activism during the [[civil rights movement]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Hank Aaron: Baseball icon and civil rights activist dies aged 86 |url=https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/baseball/news/29173/12195705/hank-aaron-baseball-icon-and-civil-rights-activist-dies-aged-86 |access-date=March 9, 2021 |agency=[[Reuters]] |work=[[Sky Sports]] |date=January 23, 2021 |archive-date=April 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425225224/https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/baseball/news/29173/12195705/hank-aaron-baseball-icon-and-civil-rights-activist-dies-aged-86 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Aaron was inducted into the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in his first year of eligibility in 1982 and [[Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame]] in 1988. In 1999, MLB introduced the [[Hank Aaron Award]] to recognize the top offensive players in each league. That same year, he was one of 30 baseball players elected to the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]]. He was awarded the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in 2002. After his retirement, Aaron held front office roles with the Atlanta Braves, including the senior vice president. He resided near [[Atlanta]] until his death in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |year=2014 |title=Henry Aaron 1954–1974 |url=http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/atl/history/henryaaron.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304114337/http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/atl/history/henryaaron.jsp |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=October 29, 2014 |website=[[Atlanta Braves]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref>

==Early life==
Henry Louis Aaron was born on February 5, 1934, in [[Mobile, Alabama]], to Herbert Aaron Sr. and Estella (Pritchett) Aaron. Herbert Sr. worked as a [[shipyard]] [[riveter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://doi.org/10.1093/anb/9780198606697.013.370092 |title=Aaron, Hank |last=Evensen |first=Bruce J. |website=doi.org |publisher=[[American National Biography]] |doi=10.1093/anb/9780198606697.013.370092 |access-date=March 10, 2025}}</ref> He had seven siblings.<ref name="greatath">{{cite book |last1=Bily |first1=Cynthia A. |url=https://archive.org/details/greatathletes0000unse |title=Great Athletes |date=2002 |publisher=[[Grey House Publishing|Salem Press]] |isbn=978-1-58765-008-6 |editor1-last=Johnson |editor1-first=Rafer |edition=Revised |volume=1 |orig-date=1992 |url-access=registration}}</ref> [[Tommie Aaron]], one of his brothers, also went on to play [[Major League Baseball]]. By the time Aaron retired, he and his brother held the record for most career home runs by a pair of siblings (768).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davids |first1=L. Robert |last2=Amman |first2=Larry |title=Baseball Brothers |url=http://research.sabr.org/journals/baseball-brothers/ |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |quote=The home run record for brothers is held by Henry (755) and Tommie (13) Aaron. |access-date=October 3, 2023 |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124143447/http://research.sabr.org/journals/baseball-brothers/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

While he was born in a section of Mobile referred to as "Down the Bay", Aaron spent most of his youth in [[Toulminville]]. Aaron grew up in a poor family.<ref name="greatath" /> His family could not afford baseball equipment, so he practiced by hitting bottle caps with sticks. Aaron would create his own bats and balls out of materials he found on the streets.<ref>{{cite book|last=Nemec|first=David|title=Players of Cooperstown: Baseball's Hall of Fame|publisher=Publications International|location=Cooperstown, New York|date=1994|isbn=978-0785308768}}</ref> Aaron's boyhood idol was baseball star [[Jackie Robinson]].<ref>{{cite news |date=April 1, 1974 |title=Jackie Robinson Aaron's boyhood idol |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19740401&id=jfNOAAAAIBAJ&pg=4106,282900&hl=en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311103226/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19740401&id=jfNOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FgIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4106,282900&hl=en |archive-date=March 11, 2016 |access-date=February 6, 2016 |work=[[The Blade (Toledo, Ohio)|Toledo Blade]] |via=[[Google News Archive]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Aaron attended Central High School as a [[Ninth grade|freshman]] and a [[Tenth grade|sophomore]].{{efn|Now the Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School, 500 St. Anthony St., Mobile. In 1955 Central High School and Dunbar Jr. High School switched locations; Central High closed in 1970 following desegregation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=111386 |title=Dunbar/Central High School|work=The Historical Marker Database |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125104944/https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=111386 |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcpss.com/ourschools#lightbox |title=Dunbar Creative And Performing Arts Magnet School |access-date=September 29, 2021 |archive-date=January 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127005507/https://www.mcpss.com/ourschools#lightbox |url-status=dead}}</ref>}} At Central, Aaron played outfield and third base, helping lead his team to a Negro High School Championship. He played both football and baseball and was offered multiple football scholarships, but turned them down for baseball.<ref> Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. (n.d.). Henry L. Aaron.
https://horatioalger.org/members/detail/henry-l-aaron/ </ref> Aaron was a member of the [[Boy Scouts of America]], and he filmed a commercial for the organization in the 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clair |first=Michael |date=January 22, 2021 |title=9 facts about Aaron you may not know |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-facts-you-might-not-know |access-date=November 13, 2025 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

Although he batted cross-handed (as a right-handed hitter, with his left hand above his right), Aaron established himself as a power hitter. As a result, in 1949, at age 15, Aaron had his first tryout with an MLB franchise, the [[Los Angeles Dodgers#Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn Dodgers]]; however, he did not make the team.<ref name="br33" /> After this, Aaron returned to school to finish his secondary education, attending the Josephine Allen Institute, a private high school in Alabama. During his [[Eleventh grade|junior year]], Aaron joined the Prichard Athletics, an independent [[Negro league baseball|Negro league]] team,<ref name="nlpr">{{cite web
| url = http://www.negrosouthernleaguemuseumresearchcenter.org/Portals/0/Birmingham%20Player%20Profiles/A-B.pdf
| title = Negro League Player Register
| access-date = January 23, 2021
| website = Negro Southern League Museum Research Center
| page = 1
| archive-date = April 25, 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210425225157/http://www.negrosouthernleaguemuseumresearchcenter.org/Portals/0/Birmingham%20Player%20Profiles/A-B.pdf
| url-status = live
}}</ref> followed by the Mobile Black Bears, another independent Negro league team.<ref name="greatath" /> While on the Bears, Aaron earned $3 per game (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|3|1951|r=-1}}}} today), which was a dollar more than he got while on the Athletics.<ref name="br33">[[#Bryant|Bryant]], p. 33.</ref>

==Professional career==
===Negro and minor leagues===
On November 20, 1951, baseball scout [[Ed Scott (baseball scout)|Ed Scott]] signed Aaron to a contract on behalf of the [[Indianapolis Clowns]] of the [[Negro American League]], where he played for three months.<ref>{{cite web |last=Blackwood |first=Kendrick |date=February 3, 2005 |title=Stealing Home |url=http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/stealing-home/Content?oid=2176530 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055600/http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/stealing-home/Content?oid=2176530 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=November 14, 2014 |website=[[The Pitch (newspaper)|The Pitch]]}}</ref>

Aaron started play as a {{convert|6|ft|cm|abbr=on}}, {{convert|180|lb|kg|abbr=on}} shortstop, and earned $200 per month.<ref name="CB">{{cite encyclopedia |year=1958 |title=Aaron, Henry (Louis) |encyclopedia=Current Biography Yearbook |publisher=[[H. W. Wilson Company]] |location=New York |editor-last=Candee |editor-first=Marjorie Dent |edition=19th annual cumulation: 1958 |pages=3}}</ref> As a result of his standout play with the [[Indianapolis Clowns]], Aaron received two offers from MLB teams via [[telegram]], one from the [[New York Giants (baseball)|New York Giants]] and the other from the [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]]. Years later, Aaron remembered:

<blockquote>I had the Giants' contract in my hand. But the Braves offered fifty dollars a month more. That's the only thing that kept [[Willie Mays]] and me from being teammates&nbsp;— fifty dollars.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Castrovince |first1=Anthony |date=June 18, 2024 |title=The thing that stopped Aaron-Mays OF? $50 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-willie-mays-friends-nearly-teammates |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]] |access-date=August 9, 2023 |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117090357/https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-willie-mays-friends-nearly-teammates |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

While with the Clowns he experienced [[Discrimination against African Americans|racism]]. Of a time his team was in [[Washington, D.C.]] Aaron recalled:
<blockquote>We had breakfast while we were waiting for the rain to stop, and I can still envision sitting with the Clowns in a restaurant behind Griffith Stadium and hearing them break all the plates in the kitchen after we finished eating. What a horrible sound. Even as a kid, the irony of it hit me: here we were in the capital in the land of freedom and equality, and they had to destroy the plates that had touched the forks that had been in the mouths of Black men. If dogs had eaten off those plates, they'd have washed them.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Schwarz|first1=Alan|last2=Thorn|first2=John|year=2004|encyclopedia=Total Baseball: The Ultimate Baseball Encyclopedia|isbn=1-894963-27-X|publisher=Sport Media Publishing Inc.|title=Hank Aaron|pages=818–820|chapter=From Babe to Mel – The Top 100 People in Baseball History}}</ref></blockquote>

The Howe Sports Bureau credits Aaron with a .366 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] in 26 official Negro league games, with five [[home run]]s, 33 [[run batted in|runs batted in]] (RBIs), 41 [[hit (baseball)|hits]], and nine [[stolen base]]s.<ref>[[#Vascellaro|Vascellaro]], p. 20.</ref>

The Braves purchased Aaron's contract from the Clowns for $10,000,<ref>[[#Bryant|Bryant]], p. 43.</ref> which GM [[John Quinn (baseball executive)|John Quinn]] thought was a steal, as he stated that he felt that Aaron was a $100,000 property.<ref name="CB" /> On June 12, 1952, Aaron signed with Braves' scout Dewey Griggs.<ref name="CB" /> During this time, he picked up the nickname "[[pork chop]]s" because it "was the only thing I knew to order off the menu".<ref>{{cite news |date=July 11, 1999 |title=Hank Aaron Visits Negro League Museum |url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1999/07/11/bas_265377.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503193944/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1999/07/11/bas_265377.shtml |archive-date=May 3, 2014 |access-date=November 22, 2013 |newspaper=[[The Augusta Chronicle]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> A teammate later said, "the man ate pork chops three meals a day, two for breakfast".<ref>{{cite book|last=Pollock|first=Alan J.|editor1-last=Riley|editor1-first=James A.|title=Barnstorming to Heaven: Syd Pollock and His Great Black Teams|date=2006|isbn=0817314954|publisher=University Alabama Press|url=https://archive.org/details/barnstormingtohe00poll |page=228}}</ref>

The Braves assigned Aaron to the [[Eau Claire Bears]], the Braves' [[Northern League (baseball, 1902–1971)|Northern League]] [[Class C (baseball)|Class-C]] [[farm team]].<ref name="greatath" /> The 1952 season proved to be very beneficial for Aaron. Playing in the [[infield]], Aaron continued to develop as a ballplayer and made the Northern League's All-Star team.<ref name="greatath" /> He broke his habit of hitting cross-handed and adopted the standard hitting technique. By the end of the season, Aaron had performed so well that the league made him the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year.<ref name="greatath" /> Although Aaron appeared in just 87 games, he scored 89 [[run (baseball)|runs]], had 116 hits, nine home runs, and 61 RBI.<ref name="greatath" /> Aaron also hit for a .336 batting average.<ref name="greatath" /> During his minor league experience, Aaron was very homesick and faced constant racism, but his brother, Herbert Jr., told Aaron not to give up the opportunity.

In 1953, the Braves promoted Aaron to the [[Jacksonville Braves]], their Class-A affiliate in the [[South Atlantic League]].<ref name="greatath" /> Helped by Aaron's performance, the Braves won the league championship that year. Aaron led the league in runs (115), hits (208), [[double (baseball)|doubles]] (36), RBIs (125), total bases (338), and batting average (.362).<ref name="greatath" /> He won the league's [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] Award,<ref name="greatath" /><ref name="Allen">{{cite book |last1=Allen |first1=Bob |url=https://archive.org/details/500homerunclubba0000alle |title=The 500 Home Run Club: From Aaron to Williams |last2=Gilbert |first2=Bill |date=1999 |publisher=[[Skyhorse Publishing|Sports Publishing]] |isbn=978-1-58261-031-3 |location=Champaign, Illinois |url-access=registration}}</ref> and had such a dominant year that one [[sportswriter]] was prompted to say, "Henry Aaron led the league in everything except hotel accommodations."<ref name="Classic" /> Aaron's time with the Braves did not come without problems. He was one of the first [[Black Americans]] to play in the league.<ref>[[#Bryant|Bryant]], p. 50.</ref> The 1950s were a period of [[racial segregation]] in parts of the United States, especially the southeastern portion of the country. When Aaron traveled around [[Jacksonville, Florida]], and the surrounding areas, he was often separated from his team because of [[Jim Crow laws]]. In most circumstances, the team was responsible for arranging housing and meals for its players, but Aaron often had to make his own arrangements.<ref>{{cite web |last=Monestime |first=Ronald |date=February 6, 2011 |title=This Day in Black Sports History: February 5, 1934 |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/599197-this-day-in-black-sports-history-february-5-1934 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225144653/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/599197-this-day-in-black-sports-history-february-5-1934 |archive-date=December 25, 2014 |access-date=November 14, 2014 |website=[[Bleacher Report]]}}</ref> The Braves' manager, [[Ben Geraghty]], tried his best to help Aaron on and off the field. Former Braves minor league player and sportswriter [[Pat Jordan (author)|Pat Jordan]] said, "Aaron gave [Geraghty] much of the credit for his own swift rise to stardom."<ref>{{cite book |last=Jordan |first=Pat |title=A False Spring |date=2005 |publisher=[[University of Nebraska Press|Bison Books]] |isbn=978-0803276260 |location=New York |page=196 |orig-date=1975}}</ref>

That same year, Aaron met his future wife, Barbara Lucas. The night they met, Lucas decided to attend the Braves' game. Aaron singled, doubled, and hit a home run in the game. On October 6, Aaron and Lucas got married.<ref name="CB2">{{cite encyclopedia |year=1958 |title=Aaron, Henry (Louis) |encyclopedia=Current Biography Yearbook |publisher=[[H. W. Wilson Company]] |location=New York |editor-last=Candee |editor-first=Marjorie Dent |edition=19th annual cumulation: 1958 |pages=4}}</ref> In 1958, Aaron's wife noted that during the offseason, he liked "to sit and watch those shooting westerns". Aaron also enjoyed cooking and fishing.<ref name="CB2" />

Aaron spent the winter of 1953 playing in [[Puerto Rico]]. [[Mickey Owen]], the team's manager, helped Aaron with his batting stance. Until then, Aaron had hit most pitches to left field or center field, but after working with Owen, Aaron was able to hit the ball more effectively all over the [[Baseball field|field]]. During his stay in Puerto Rico, Owen also helped Aaron transition from second base to the outfield. Aaron had not played well at second base, but Owen noted that Aaron could catch fly balls and throw them well from the outfield to the infield.<ref name="Vascellaro 47–48">[[#Vascellaro|Vascellaro]], pp. 47–48.</ref>

The stint in Puerto Rico also allowed Aaron to avoid being drafted into military service. Though the [[Korean War]] was over, people were still being drafted. The Braves were able to speak to the [[draft board]], making the case that Aaron could be the player to integrate the [[Southern Association]] the following season with the [[Atlanta Crackers]]. The board appears to have been convinced, as Aaron was not drafted.<ref name="Vascellaro 47–48" />

===Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1954–1974)===
In 1954, Aaron attended spring training with the major league club. Although he was on the roster of its farm club, Milwaukee manager [[Charley Grimm]] later stated, "From the start, he did so well I knew we were going to have to carry him."<ref name="CB" /> On March 13, 1954, Milwaukee Braves left fielder [[Bobby Thomson]] fractured his [[ankle]] while [[slide (baseball)|sliding]] into [[second base]] during a [[spring training]] game. The next day, Aaron made his first spring training start for the Braves [[Major League Baseball|major league]] team, playing in left field and hitting a home run.<ref name="Allen" /> This led Aaron to a major league contract, signed on the final day of spring training, and a Braves uniform with the number five.<ref>[[#Bryant|Bryant]], p. 80.</ref> On April 13, he made his major league debut and was hitless in five at-bats against the [[Cincinnati Redlegs]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 13, 1954 |title=Milwaukee Braves vs Cincinnati Redlegs Box Score: April 13, 1954 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN195404130.shtml |access-date=September 4, 2024 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=June 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613101629/https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN195404130.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> In the same game, [[Eddie Mathews]] hit two home runs, the first of a record 863 home runs the pair would hit as teammates. On April 15, Aaron collected his first major league hit, a double off [[St. Louis Cardinals]] pitcher [[Vic Raschi]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 1954 |title=St. Louis Cardinals vs Milwaukee Braves Box Score: April 15, 1954 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MLN/MLN195404150.shtml |access-date=September 4, 2024 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hank Aaron Timeline |url=http://www.755homeruns.com/timeline.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820080515/http://755homeruns.com/timeline.shtml |archive-date=August 20, 2014 |access-date=October 29, 2014 |website=755 Home Runs}}</ref> Aaron hit his first major league home run on April 23, also off Raschi.<ref name="greatath" /> In 122 games, Aaron batted .280 with 13 home runs and 69 RBIs before he suffered a fractured ankle on September 5.<ref name="aaron-bbref" /> He then changed his number to 44, which would turn out to look like a "lucky number" for the slugger. Aaron would hit 44 home runs in four different seasons,<ref>[[#Bryant|Bryant]], p. 541.</ref> and he hit his record-breaking 715th career home run off Dodgers pitcher [[Al Downing (baseball)|Al Downing]], who coincidentally also wore number 44.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Huber |first1=Mike |title=April 8, 1974: Hank Aaron hammers historic 715th home run to break Babe Ruth's record |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/april-8-1974-hank-aaron-hammers-historic-715th-home-run-to-break-babe-ruths-record/ |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]}}</ref>
[[File:Hank Aaron (1954).jpg|left|thumb|Aaron in his rookie season with the Braves in 1954]]
At this point, Aaron was known to family and friends primarily as "Henry". Braves' public relations director Don Davidson, observing Aaron's quiet, reserved nature, began referring to him publicly as "Hank" in order to suggest more accessibility. The nickname quickly gained currency, but "Henry" continued to be cited frequently in the media, both sometimes appearing in the same article, and Aaron would answer to either one. During his rookie year, his other well-known nicknames, "Hammerin' Hank" (by teammates) and "Bad Henry" (by opposing pitchers) are reported to have arisen.<ref>{{cite book |last=Musick |first=Phil |title=Hank Aaron, The Man Who Beat the Babe |date=1974 |publisher=[[Popular Library]] |edition=1st |asin=B0006W2Y7E}}</ref>

While living in Milwaukee, Aaron resided in the Prinz House in Historic Brewers Hill. Considerably later in his career, Aaron coined "Stone-fingers", which would prove a popular handle for one of baseball's more colorful characters, the famously distance-hitting but defensively challenged first baseman [[Dick Stuart]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Kaese |first=Harold |date=August 16, 1963 |title=Stuart Ranks Next to Foxx; Sox' 2nd Best Righty Slugger |url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/gxvoz2n1u7ybwuj/.png |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801195456/http://www.mediafire.com/view/gxvoz2n1u7ybwuj/.png |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=August 23, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |via=[[MediaFire]]}}</ref> reportedly "delight[ing]" even its recipient.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nunn |first=Bill Jr. |date=November 9, 1963 |title=Change of Pace |url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/hnwe0k3obbarmq2/.png |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801134424/http://www.mediafire.com/view/hnwe0k3obbarmq2/.png |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=August 23, 2019 |work=[[Pittsburgh Courier]] |via=[[MediaFire]]}}</ref>

[[Sal Maglie]] recommended throwing low [[curveball]]s to Aaron. "He's going to swing and he'll go after almost anything," Maglie said of the Braves' slugger. "And he'll hit almost anything, so you have to be careful."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Maglie|first=Sal|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1957/10/14/braves-new-world|title=Braves' New World|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=October 14, 1957|access-date=August 8, 2020|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117133308/https://vault.si.com/vault/1957/10/14/braves-new-world|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Prime of his career====
[[File:Hank Aaron 1960.png|thumb|upright|Aaron in 1960]]
Aaron hit .314 with 27 home runs and 106 RBI in 153 games in 1955. He was named to the NL All-Star roster for the first time; it was the first of a record 21 All-Star selections and first of a record 25 [[All-star game|All-Star Game]] appearances.<ref name="aaron-bbref" /> In 1956, Aaron hit .328 and captured the first of two NL batting titles. He was also named ''[[The Sporting News]]'' NL Player of the Year. In 1957, Aaron won his only NL MVP Award, as he had his first brush with the triple crown. He batted .322, placing third, and led the league in home runs and runs batted in.<ref name="aaron-bbref" /> On September 23, 1957, in Milwaukee, Aaron hit a two-run walk-off home run against the St. Louis Cardinals, clinching the pennant for the Braves. After touching home plate he was carried off the field by his teammates. It is as of yet the only pennant-clinching walk-off home run in major league history in a non-playoff regular-season game. Milwaukee went on to win the [[1957 World Series|World Series]] against the [[New York Yankees]], the defending champions, four games to three.<ref name="greatath" /> Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. On December 15, 1957, his wife Barbara gave birth to twins.<ref name="CB2" /> Two days later, one of the children died.<ref name="CB2" /> In 1958, Aaron hit .326 with 30 home runs and 95 RBI in 153 games. He led the Braves to another pennant, but this time they lost a seven-game [[1958 World Series|World Series]] to the [[New York Yankees|Yankees]]. Aaron finished third in the MVP race and he received his first of three [[Gold Glove Award]]s.<ref name="aaron-bbref" /> During the next several years, Aaron had some of his best games and best seasons as a major league player. On June 21, 1959, against the [[San Francisco Giants]], Aaron hit three two-run home runs. It was the only time in his career that he hit three home runs in a game.<ref>[[#Stanton|Stanton]], p. 142.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Boxscore of Hank Aaron 3-Home Run Game At Retrosheet |url=https://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1959/B06210SFN1959.htm |accessdate=December 21, 2023 |website=[[Retrosheet]]}}</ref>

In 1963, Aaron nearly won the [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|triple crown]]. He led the league with 44 home runs and 130 RBI and finished third in [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (.319).{{efn|His average was .319, .007 behind the leader, [[Tommy Davis (outfielder)|Tommy Davis]].}} That season, Aaron became the third player to [[30–30 club|hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases]] in a single season, and the first player to record 40 home runs and 30 steals in a season.<ref name="aaron-bbref" /> He again finished third in [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|National League MVP]] voting.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1963 Awards Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1963.shtml |access-date=September 4, 2024 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=February 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214215558/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1963.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The Braves moved from [[Milwaukee]] to [[Atlanta]] after the 1965 season. On May 10, 1967, Aaron hit an [[inside-the-park home run]] against [[Jim Bunning]] in [[Philadelphia]]. It was the only inside-the-park home run of his career.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 10, 2017 |title=This date in Braves history: Hank Aaron's only inside-the-park homer |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/this-date-braves-history-hank-aaron-only-inside-the-park-homer/mqOXgoa9PWyCJth5R6SF0M/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511081822/https://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/this-date-braves-history-hank-aaron-only-inside-the-park-homer/mqOXgoa9PWyCJth5R6SF0M/ |archive-date=May 11, 2018 |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]}}</ref> In 1968, Aaron was the first Atlanta Braves player to hit his 500th career home run, and in 1970, he was the first Atlanta Brave to reach 3,000 career hits.<ref>{{cite web |last=Yuhasz |first=Dennis |year=2005 |title=Hank Aaron Biography |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/hank_aaron_biography.shtml |website=[[Baseball Almanac]] |access-date=November 22, 2013 |archive-date=November 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131126010253/http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/hank_aaron_biography.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Home run milestones and 3,000th hit====
[[File:Hank Aaron Braves Jersey signed.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Away jersey worn by Aaron during the 1969 MLB season; MLB 100th anniversary logo (on the pictures left) was introduced that season]]

During his time in Atlanta, Aaron reached several [[milestone]]s; he was only the eighth player ever to hit 500 career home runs, with his 500th coming against [[Mike McCormick (pitcher)|Mike McCormick]] of the [[San Francisco Giants]] on July 14, 1968—exactly one year after former Milwaukee Braves teammate [[Eddie Mathews]] had hit his 500th.<ref>{{cite web |title=500 Home Runs Club |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hi500c.shtml |website=[[Baseball Almanac]]}}</ref> Aaron was, at the time, the second-youngest player to reach the milestone.{{efn|Aaron was 34 years, five months, and nine days old. [[Jimmie Foxx]] was the youngest to reach the mark at the time. Since then, [[Alex Rodriguez]] has become the youngest to reach this mark.}} On July 31, 1969, Aaron hit his 537th home run, passing [[Mickey Mantle]]'s total; this moved Aaron into third place on the career home run list, after [[Willie Mays]] and [[Babe Ruth]]. At the end of the 1969 season, Aaron again finished third in the MVP voting.<ref>{{cite web |title=1969 Awards Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1969.shtml |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |access-date=January 22, 2021 |archive-date=February 1, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201085337/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1969.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1970, Aaron reached two more career milestones. On May 17, he collected his 3,000th hit, in a game against the [[Cincinnati Reds]], the team against which he played in his first major-league game.<ref>[[#Stanton|Stanton]], p. 202.</ref> Aaron established the record for most seasons with 30 or more home runs in the National League. On April 27, 1971, Aaron hit his 600th career home run, the third major league player ever to do so.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gattie |first=Gordon J. |title=April 27, 1971: Hank Aaron hammers 600th career home run |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/april-27-1971-hank-aaron-hammers-600th-career-home-run/ |access-date=September 4, 2024 |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |language=en-US}}</ref> On July 13, Aaron hit a home run in the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] (played at Detroit's [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]]) for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 13, 1971 |title=1971 All-Star Game Box Score, July 13 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1971-allstar-game.shtml |access-date=September 4, 2024 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127022511/https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1971-allstar-game.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> He hit his 40th home run of the season against the [[San Francisco Giants|Giants]]' [[Jerry Johnson (baseball)|Jerry Johnson]] on September 10, which established a National League record for most seasons with 40 or more home runs (seven). At age 37, Aaron hit a career-high 47 home runs during the season (along with a career-high .669 [[slugging percentage]]) and finished third in MVP voting for the sixth time.<ref name="aaron-bbref" /> During the strike-shortened season of 1972, Aaron tied and then surpassed Willie Mays for second place on the career home run list. Aaron also drove in the 2,000th run of his career and hit a home run in the first All-Star game played in Atlanta.<ref>{{cite web |title=1972 All-Star Game Box Score, July 25 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1972-allstar-game.shtml |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |access-date=October 4, 2023 |archive-date=May 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528162803/https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1972-allstar-game.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> As the year came to a close, Aaron broke [[Stan Musial]]'s major-league record for total bases (6,134).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schwartz |first1=Larry |title=Hank Aaron sets career total bases record |url=http://www.espn.com/classic/s/moment010903-aaron-totalbases.html |website=[[ESPN Classic]] |date=November 19, 2003}}</ref> He finished the season with 673 career home runs.<ref name="aaron-bbref" />

====Breaking Ruth's career home run record====
[[File:hank aaron jersey.jpg|thumb|upright|The Braves' jersey Hank Aaron wore when he broke [[Babe Ruth]]'s career home run record in 1974]]
Aaron himself downplayed the "chase" to surpass Babe Ruth, while baseball enthusiasts and the national media grew increasingly excited as he closed in on the 714 career home runs record. Aaron received thousands of letters every week during the summer of 1973, including hate mail; he ended up asking a secretary working for the Braves, [[Carla Koplin Cohn|Carla Koplin]], to help him sort through it.<ref>[[#Stanton|Stanton]], p. 62.</ref>

Aaron (then age 39) hit 40 home runs in 392 [[At bat|at-bats]], ending the 1973 season one home run short of the record. He hit home run number 713 on September 29, 1973, and with one day remaining in the season, many expected Aaron to tie the record. However, in his final game that year, playing against the [[Houston Astros]] (managed by [[Leo Durocher]], who had once roomed with Babe Ruth), Aaron was unable to achieve this. After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the [[1974 MLB season|1974 season]].<!-- The following sentence needs to be clarified or removed. Did Aaron speak of Clemente's death in this context?: [That statement wasn't just about the death threats: one year earlier, September 30, 1972, was the last day the legendary [[Roberto Clemente]] ever played, as he perished in the offseason.] --><ref>[[#Stanton|Stanton]], p. 179.</ref>

Aaron was the recipient of [[death threat]]s and a large assortment of hate mail during the 1973–74 [[offseason]] from people who did not want to see him break Ruth's nearly [[wikt:sacrosanct|sacrosanct]] home run record.<ref>[[#Stanton|Stanton]], p. 64.</ref> The threats extended to those providing positive press coverage of Aaron. [[Lewis Grizzard]], then-executive sports editor of ''[[The Atlanta Journal]]'', reported receiving numerous phone calls calling journalists "nigger lovers" for covering Aaron's chase. While preparing the massive coverage of the home run record, Grizzard quietly had an obituary written, afraid that Aaron might be murdered.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bacon |first1=John U. |date=April 11, 2014 |title=Remembering the quiet dignity of baseball's Hank Aaron |url=https://www.michiganradio.org/sports/2014-04-11/remembering-the-quiet-dignity-of-baseballs-hank-aaron |work=[[Michigan Public]]}}</ref>

''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' pointedly summarized the [[racism|racist]] vitriol that Aaron was forced to endure:

{{blockquote|Is this to be the year in which Aaron, at the age of thirty-nine, takes a [[Extravehicular activity|moon walk]] above one of the most hallowed individual records in American sport...? Or will it be remembered as the season in which Aaron, the most dignified of athletes, was besieged with hate mail and trapped by the cobwebs and goblins that lurk in baseball's attic?<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Leggett|first=William|title=A Tortured Road to 715|date=May 28, 1973|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1973/05/28/a-tortured-road-to-715|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412062952/https://vault.si.com/vault/1973/05/28/a-tortured-road-to-715|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 12, 2021}}</ref>}}

At the end of the 1973 season, Aaron received a plaque from the [[U.S. Postal Service]] for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. Aaron received an outpouring of public support in response to the [[bigotry]]. In August 1973, ''[[Peanuts]]'' cartoonist [[Charles Schulz]] drew a series of strips in which [[Snoopy]] attempts to break Babe Ruth's record, only to be besieged with hate mail. In the strip published August 11, [[Lucy Van Pelt|Lucy]] remarked to Snoopy: "Hank Aaron is a great player{{nbsp}}... but you! If you break Babe Ruth's record, it'll be a disgrace!" Coincidentally, Snoopy was only one home run short of tying the record (and finished the season as such when Charlie Brown got picked off second base during Snoopy's last at-bat), and as it turned out, Aaron finished the [[1973 MLB season|1973 season]] one home run short of Ruth.<ref>{{cite book |last=Schulz |first=Charles M. |title=The Complete Peanuts, 1973–1974 |date=2009 |publisher=[[Fantagraphics]] |isbn=978-1606992869}}</ref> Babe Ruth's widow, [[Claire Merritt Hodgson|Claire]], denounced the racism and declared that her husband would have enthusiastically cheered Aaron's attempt at the record.<ref>[[#Stanton|Stanton]], p. 25.</ref> As the 1974 season began, Aaron's pursuit of the record caused a small controversy. The Braves opened the season on the road in [[Cincinnati]] with a three-game series against the [[Cincinnati Reds]]. Braves management wanted him to break the record in [[Atlanta]] and was therefore going to have Aaron sit out the first three games of the season. But [[Commissioner of Baseball|Baseball Commissioner]] [[Bowie Kuhn]] ruled that he had to play two games in the first series. He played two out of three and tied Babe Ruth's record on April 4, 1974, in his first at-bat on his first swing of the season—off Reds pitcher [[Jack Billingham]], but did not hit another home run in the series.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=2002 |title=Hank Aaron (born 1934) |encyclopedia=[[New Georgia Encyclopedia]] |publisher=[[University of Georgia Press]] |url=http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-739 |access-date=May 2, 2014 |last=Minter |first=A. Binford |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070507144509/http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-739 |archive-date=May 7, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Aaron 715.jpg|right|thumb|upright|The fence over which Aaron hit his 715th career home run displayed outside of Turner Field]]

The Braves returned to Atlanta, and on April 8, 1974, a crowd of 53,775 people showed up for the game—a Braves attendance record. The game was also broadcast nationally on [[NBC]]. In the fourth inning, Aaron hit home run number 715 off [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] pitcher [[Al Downing (baseball)|Al Downing]].<ref name="greatath" /> Although Dodgers outfielder [[Bill Buckner]] nearly went over the outfield fence trying to catch it, the ball flew into the Braves' [[bullpen]] and the First National Bank advertisement sign in left-center field, where [[relief pitcher]] [[Tom House]] caught it. While cannons were fired in celebration, two college students sprinted onto the field and jogged alongside Aaron for part of his circuit around the bases, temporarily startling him. As the fans cheered wildly, Aaron's parents ran onto the field as well. Afterwards, Aaron remarked how "I never knew my mother could hug so tight," though he later learned that Aaron's mother kept hugging him because she was worried someone could try to shoot Aaron, and she thought nobody would try to shoot him if she was hugging him. Braves announcer [[Milo Hamilton]], calling the game on [[WSB (AM)|WSB]] radio, described the scene as Aaron broke the record:

<blockquote>Henry Aaron, in the second inning, walked and scored. He's sittin' on 714. Here's the pitch by Downing. Swinging. There's a drive into left-center field. That ball is gonna be-eee{{nbsp}}... Outta here! It's gone! It's 715! There's a new home run champion of all time, and it's Henry Aaron! The fireworks are going. Henry Aaron is coming around third. His teammates are at home plate. And listen to this crowd!<ref>{{cite web |last=Justice |first=Richard |date=April 8, 2014 |title=Milo Hamilton made Hank Aaron's homer itself star of No. 715 call |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/atl/milo-hamilton-made-hank-aarons-homer-itself-star-of-no-715-call?ymd=20140408&content_id=71348312&vkey=news_atl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140409083524/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/atl/milo-hamilton-made-hank-aarons-homer-itself-star-of-no-715-call?ymd=20140408&content_id=71348312&vkey=news_atl |archive-date=April 9, 2014 |access-date=May 13, 2014 |website=[[Atlanta Braves]] |publisher=[[MLB.com]]}}</ref></blockquote>

Meanwhile, Dodgers broadcaster [[Vin Scully]] addressed the racial tension—or apparent lack thereof—in his call of the home run:

{{blockquote|What a marvelous moment for baseball; what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia; what a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron{{nbsp}}... And for the first time in a long time, that poker face in Aaron shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvfYg_kNtTk&feature=search|via=[[YouTube]] |title=Vin Scully's Call of Hank Aaron's 715th Home Run |date=Mar 4, 2010|archive-date=July 24, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724011920/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvfYg_kNtTk&feature=search|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

===Milwaukee Brewers (1975–1976)===
[[File:HankAaronTigerStadium1975.JPG|thumb|Aaron in 1975]]
On October 2, 1974, Aaron hit his 733rd home run in his last at-bat as a Braves player. Aaron commented after the game that it was his last time as a player in Atlanta as his contract had expired. While he considered retirement, he said that he was willing to return to baseball for another year.<ref name="LastGame">{{cite news |date=October 4, 1974 |title=Aaron Hits Horner With Final Swing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/10/03/archives/aaronhits-homer-with-final-swing.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425225201/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/10/03/archives/aaronhits-homer-with-final-swing.html |archive-date=April 25, 2021 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> He had also said that he would be interested in serving as a team's general manager, someone who would make decisions and not a "house boy".<ref name="House">{{cite news |last=Durso |first=Joseph |date=June 18, 1974 |title=Aaron Gets Reception, Mets Get Trounced, 8-1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/18/archives/aaron-gets-reception-mets-get-trounced-81-mets-bow-to-braves-aaron.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=April 25, 2021 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210425225227/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/18/archives/aaron-gets-reception-mets-get-trounced-81-mets-bow-to-braves-aaron.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Braves offered Aaron a position with the team when he retired, but the role would be more in public relations, rather than one where he could evaluate talent.<ref>[[#Bryant|Bryant]], p. 418.</ref>

At the end of the season, Aaron, who had a prior relationship with Brewers owner [[Bud Selig]], requested a trade to Milwaukee. He was acquired by the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] for [[Dave May]] thirty-one days later on November 2.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last=Coffey |first=Alex |title=The Braves Trade Henry Aaron to the Brewers |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/the-braves-trade-henry-aaron |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102160205/https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/the-braves-trade-henry-aaron |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |access-date=October 30, 2020 |website=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]]}}</ref> [[Minor League Baseball|Minor league]] right-handed pitcher Roger Alexander was sent to the Braves to complete the transaction at the [[Winter Meetings]] one month later on December 2.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/03/archives/baseball-draft-is-skimpy-baseball-trading-off-to-slow-start.html|title=Baseball Draft Is Skimpy|last=Durso|first=Joseph|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 3, 1974|archive-date=November 2, 2020|access-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102211449/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/03/archives/baseball-draft-is-skimpy-baseball-trading-off-to-slow-start.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The trade re-united Aaron with former teammate [[Del Crandall]], who was now managing the Brewers.<ref name=":0" /> He signed a two-year contract with the Brewers for $240,000 per year.<ref name="Pact">{{cite news |date=November 11, 1974 |title=Aaron Signs 2-year pact |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/11/15/archives/aaron-signs-2year-pact.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |archive-date=March 5, 2018 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180305165154/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/11/15/archives/aaron-signs-2year-pact.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Playing in the American League allowed Aaron to serve as a [[designated hitter]] rather than play in the field.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Egan |first1=John |date=January 26, 2021 |title=Revisiting Hank Aaron's Last Two Seasons With The Brewers |url=https://reviewingthebrew.com/2021/01/26/revisiting-hank-aaron-last-two-seasons-brewers/ |website=Reviewing the Brew |publisher=[[FanSided]]}}</ref>

On May 1, 1975, Aaron broke baseball's all-time RBI record, previously held by Ruth with 2,213. That year, he also played in his last and 24th All-Star Game (25th All-Star Game selection); he lined out to [[Dave Concepción]] as a [[pinch-hitter]] in the second inning. This All-Star Game, like the first one he played in 1955, was before a home crowd at [[Milwaukee County Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Lynch |first=Mike |title=July 15, 1975: In Milwaukee, NL wins fourth straight All-Star Game |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/july-15-1975-in-milwaukee-nl-wins-fourth-straight-all-star-game/ |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]}}</ref>

Aaron hit his 755th and final home run on July 20, 1976, at [[Milwaukee County Stadium]] off [[Dick Drago]] of the [[California Angels]], which stood as the MLB career home run record for 31 years until it was broken in 2007 by [[Barry Bonds]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/sports/baseball/08bonds.html|title=Bonds Hits No. 756 to Break Aaron's Record|last=Curry|first=Jack|date=August 8, 2007|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|archive-date=April 3, 2019|access-date=April 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403142508/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/sports/baseball/08bonds.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Over the course of his record-breaking 23-year career, Aaron had a batting average of .305 and 164 hits a season, while averaging nearly 33 home runs and 100 RBIs a year. He had 100+ RBIs in a season 11 times, including 5 years in a row between 1959 and 1963.<ref name="aaron-bbref" />
{{Clear}}

==Career overall==
For his career, Aaron batted .305 with 3771 hits, including 624 doubles, 98 triples, and 755 home runs. In 17 postseason games, including two World Series (1957, '58) and the 1969 NLCS, Aaron batted .362 (25-for-69) with 11 runs scored, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs, 16 RBI, 5 walks, on-base percentage of .405, slugging percentage of .710, and on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.116.<ref name="aaron-bbref" />

===Statistics and achievements===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"| Legend
|-
| '''Bold'''
| All-time leader
|}
{{clear}}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"
|-
![[Baseball statistics|Category]]!!Years!![[Wins above replacement|WAR]]!![[Games played|G]]!![[At bat|AB]]!![[Run (baseball)|R]]!![[Hit (baseball)|H]]!![[Double (baseball)|2B]]!![[Triple (baseball)|3B]]!![[Home run|HR]]!![[Total bases|TB]]!![[Extra base hit|XBH]]!![[Runs batted in|RBI]]!![[Stolen base|SB]]!![[Bases on balls|BB]]!![[Batting average (baseball)|AVG]]!![[On-base percentage|OBP]]!![[Slugging percentage|SLG]]!![[On-base plus slugging percentage|OPS]]!![[Fielding percentage|FLG%]]!!{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|Total||23||143.2||3,298||12,364||2,174||3,771||624||98||755||'''6,856'''||'''1,477'''||'''2,297'''||240||1,402||.305||.374||.555||.928||.982||<ref name="aaron-bbref" />
|}

==Post-playing career==
[[File:HankAaronHallofFamePlaque.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Hank Aaron's Hall of Fame plaque at the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[Cooperstown, New York]]]]
[[File:Hank Aaron 1978 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Aaron during his August 5, 1978, visit to the [[White House]]]]
After the 1976 season, Aaron rejoined the Braves as an executive. On August 1, 1982, he was inducted into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]], having received votes on 97.8 percent of the ballots, second only to [[Ty Cobb]], who had received votes on 98.2% of the ballot in the inaugural 1936 Hall of Fame election.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |last1=Muder |first1=Craig |title=Aaron, Robinson elected to Hall of Fame |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/hank-aaron-frank-robinson-elected-1982 |website=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]] |access-date=July 15, 2023 |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124143447/https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/inside-pitch/hank-aaron-frank-robinson-elected-1982 |url-status=live }}</ref> Aaron was then named the Braves' vice president and director of player development. This made him one of the first minorities in Major League Baseball upper-level management.<ref name="Classic">{{cite web|last=Schwartz|first=Larry|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Aaron_Hank.html|title=Hammerin' back at racism|year=1999|website=[[ESPN Classic]]|access-date=July 17, 2024|archive-date=May 22, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522110900/https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Aaron_Hank.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In December 1980, Aaron became senior vice president and assistant to the Braves' president.<ref name="Classic" /> He was the corporate vice president of community relations for [[Turner Broadcasting System]], a member of the company's board of directors, and the vice president of business development for The Airport Network.<ref name="Classic" /> On January 21, 2007, Major League Baseball announced the sale of the Atlanta Braves. In that announcement, Baseball Commissioner [[Bud Selig]] also announced that Aaron would be playing a major role in the management of the Braves,<ref>{{cite web |date=May 17, 2007 |title=Game Over for Liberty's Purchase of Braves from Time Warner |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/game-over-liberty-s-purchase-braves-time-warner-366892 |access-date=September 28, 2021 |website=[[Multichannel News]] |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124143448/https://www.nexttv.com/news/game-over-liberty-s-purchase-braves-time-warner-366892 |url-status=live }}</ref> forming programs through major league baseball that will encourage the influx of minorities into baseball.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wolf |first=Jeffrey |date=May 16, 2007 |title=Braves' sale approved by baseball owners |url=https://www.9news.com/article/money/business/braves-sale-approved-by-baseball-owners/73-343837004 |work=[[KUSA (TV)|9 News]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Aaron founded the Hank Aaron Rookie League program.<ref>{{cite news |last1=King |first1=Susan |title=Hank Aaron: Beyond Home Plate |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-09-tv-52465-story.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 9, 1995 |archive-date=June 13, 2024 |access-date=August 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240613215257/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-09-tv-52465-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Shortly before the start of the [[2002 Major League Baseball season|2002 baseball season]], Aaron joined [[San Francisco Giants]] slugger [[Barry Bonds]]—on the heels of his record-shattering performance [[2001 Major League Baseball season|the season before]]—to make a television commercial that aired during [[Super Bowl XXXVI]], in which Aaron jokingly tried to persuade Bonds to retire before breaking the record.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lefton |first1=Terry |title=Bonds, Aaron team in Schwab ad |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2002/01/28/Special-Report/Bonds-Aaron-Team-In-Schwab-Ad.aspx |work=[[Sports Business Journal]] |date=January 28, 2002 |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |access-date=March 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124143449/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2002/01/28/Special-Report/Bonds-Aaron-Team-In-Schwab-Ad.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

As Bonds began to close in on the record during the 2007 season, Aaron let it be known that, although he recognized Bonds' achievements, he would not be present when Bonds broke the record.<ref name="workers2007">{{cite web |last=Gimbel |first=Mike |date=August 15, 2007 |title=Hank Aaron praises Barry Bonds for home run record |url=http://www.workers.org/2007/us/barry-bonds-0623/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111060544/http://www.workers.org/2007/us/barry-bonds-0623/ |archive-date=January 11, 2011 |website=Workers World}}</ref> There was considerable speculation that this was a snubbing of Bonds based on the widespread belief that Bonds had used performance-enhancing drugs and [[Anabolic steroids|steroids]] to aid his achievement. However, some observers looked back on Aaron's personal history, pointing out that he had downplayed his own breaking of Babe Ruth's all-time record and suggesting Aaron was simply treating Bonds in a similar fashion. In a later interview with Atlanta sportscasting personality Chris Dimino, Aaron made it clear his reluctance to attend any celebration of a new home run record was based upon his personal conviction that baseball is not about breaking records, but simply playing to the best of one's potential.<ref name="workers2007" /> After Bonds hit his record-breaking 756th home run on August 7, 2007, Aaron made a surprise appearance on the [[JumboTron]] video screen at [[AT&T Park]] in San Francisco to congratulate Bonds on his accomplishment:

{{blockquote|I would like to offer my congratulations to Barry Bonds on becoming baseball's career home run leader. It is a great accomplishment that required skill, longevity, and determination. Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement. My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams.<ref name="Bloom">{{cite web |first1=Barry M. |last1=Bloom |first2=Chris |last2=Haft |title=Aaron congratulates Bonds via video |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/mlb/y2007/m08/d08/c2136645.jsp |date=August 8, 2007 |website=[[MLB.com]]|archive-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123134320/http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendly/mlb/y2007/m08/d08/c2136645.jsp |url-status=live}}</ref>}}

Aaron's autobiography, ''I Had A Hammer'', co-written with the help of writer [[Lonnie Wheeler]], was published in 1990 and was a finalist for the [[Casey Award]]. The book's title is a play on his nickname, "The Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", and the title of the folk song "[[If I Had a Hammer]]". Aaron owned Hank Aaron [[BMW]] of south Atlanta in [[Union City, Georgia]], where he included an [[autograph]]ed baseball with every car sold.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://alabamaliving.coop/article/sports-stars-of-alabama-where-are-they-now/|title=Sports stars of Alabama: Where are they now?|last=Burnett|first=Emmett|magazine=Alabama Living Magazine|date=October 31, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214224520/http://alabamaliving.coop/article/sports-stars-of-alabama-where-are-they-now/|archive-date=December 14, 2014|access-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> Aaron also owned [[Mini (marque)|Mini]], [[Land Rover]], [[Toyota]], [[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]], and [[Honda]] dealerships throughout Georgia, as part of the Hank Aaron Automotive Group. Aaron sold all but the Toyota dealership in [[McDonough, Georgia|McDonough]] in 2007. Additionally, Aaron owned a chain of 30 restaurants around the country.

==Personal life==
[[File:Hank and Billye Aaron 2002.jpg|thumb|Aaron (right) with his second wife, Billye]]
Aaron's first marriage was to Barbara Lucas in 1953. They had five children: Gary, Lary, Dorinda, Gaile, and Hank Jr. He divorced Barbara in 1971 and married [[Billye Aaron|Billye Suber Williams]] on November 13, 1973. Aaron adopted Billye's daughter, Ceci, from her first marriage to civil rights activist [[Samuel Woodrow Williams]].<ref name="CNN">{{cite news|title=Hank Aaron Fast Facts|url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/30/us/hank-aaron-fast-facts/index.html|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=April 22, 2019|archive-date=April 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423032301/https://www.cnn.com/2013/05/30/us/hank-aaron-fast-facts/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite being publicly and professionally known as "Hank," Aaron preferred to go by his given name, "Henry."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goldman |first1=Tom |title=Remembering Baseball Legend Hank Aaron |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/01/23/959884089/remembering-baseball-legend-hank-aaron |access-date=January 6, 2022 |work=[[NPR]] |date=January 23, 2021 |language=en |archive-date=December 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231202231707/https://www.npr.org/2021/01/23/959884089/remembering-baseball-legend-hank-aaron |url-status=live }}</ref> The former name came around when Don Davidson, the public relations director for the Milwaukee Braves, began to refer to him as such in an effort to make the quiet, soft-spoken player seem more accessible to the fans and the press.<ref name="sabr-aaron"/>

Aaron's great-nephew, [[Kimani Vidal]], was selected by the [[Los Angeles Chargers]] in the [[2024 NFL draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=DeRosa |first=Theo |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Hammerin' Hank's great-nephew taken in NFL Draft |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-s-relative-kimani-vidal-taken-in-nfl-draft |access-date=May 27, 2024 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]] |language=en |archive-date=January 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124143447/https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-s-relative-kimani-vidal-taken-in-nfl-draft |url-status=live }}</ref> His sister Alfredia, Vidal's grandmother, married U.S. Representative [[David Scott (Georgia politician)|David Scott]] in 1969.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-01-22 |title=Statement on Passing of Henry "Hank" Aaron |url=https://davidscott.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399471 |access-date=2025-12-09 |website=U.S. Congressman David Scott |language=en}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
Born and raised a [[Baptist]],<ref>[[#Aaron|Aaron and Wheeler]], p. 16.</ref> Aaron converted to [[Roman Catholic|Catholicism]] in 1959 at age 25, together with his family. He and his wife first became interested in the faith after the birth of their first child, whom they [[Baptism|baptized]] immediately.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 6, 1959 |title=Hank Aaron, Family Enter Church |url=https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=CATHNWP19590508.2.149&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122160304/https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=CATHNWP19590508.2.149&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |archive-date=January 22, 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |website=The Catholic Northwest Progress |via=Washington Digital Newspapers}}</ref> A friendship with a priest later helped lead to Hank and his wife's conversion. Aaron was known to frequently read [[Thomas à Kempis]]' 15th-century book ''[[The Imitation of Christ]]'', which he kept in his locker.<ref>{{cite web |title=Famous Religious Conversions Hank Aaron |url=https://www.trivia-library.com/b/famous-religious-conversions-hank-aaron.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124184804/https://trivia-library.com/b/famous-religious-conversions-hank-aaron.htm |archive-date=January 24, 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |website=Trivia Library}}</ref>

In an interview in 1991, Aaron credited the priest, Fr. Michael Sablica, with helping him grow as a person in the 1950s. "He taught me what life was all about. But he was more than just a religious friend of mine, he was a friend because he talked as if he was not a priest sometimes." Active in the [[civil rights movement]], the priest encouraged Aaron to be more publicly vocal about causes he believed in.<ref name="Pattison">{{cite web|last=Pattison |first=Mark|date=January 22, 2021|title=Baseball's home run king Hank Aaron fought racism on and off the field|website=[[National Catholic Reporter]]|url= https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/baseballs-home-run-king-hank-aaron-fought-racism-and-field}}</ref>

Sablica also encouraged him to "attend [[Mass in the Catholic Church|Mass]] every Sunday" during [[Spring training|Spring Training]], to which he responded with the [[Racism|racist]] realities of the day: "[In [[Bradenton, Florida|Bradenton]]], they won't let me go to Mass."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Baldwin |first=Stanley C. |title=Bad Henry |date=1974 |publisher=[[Chilton Company|Chilton Book Co.]] |isbn=0-8019-5960-8 |oclc=858863}}</ref> Sablica said in an interview that he wouldn't have blamed Aaron if he stopped practicing.<ref name="Pattison" /> Aaron indeed attended Friendship Baptist Church toward the end of his life, noting in his autobiography that he didn't remain a practicing Catholic for very long after converting.<ref>[[#Aaron|Aaron and Wheeler]], p. 161.</ref>

=== Hobbies and health ===
Aaron was a longtime fan of the [[Cleveland Browns]], having attended many games in disguise in their "[[Dawg Pound]]" seating section.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pokorny |first=Chris |date=May 27, 2017 |title=Hank Aaron explains how he is a fan of the Browns |url=https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2017/5/27/15705682/hank-aaron-explains-how-he-is-a-fan-of-the-browns |website=Dawgs By Nature |publisher=[[SB Nation]] |access-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-date=July 29, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729221200/https://www.dawgsbynature.com/2017/5/27/15705682/hank-aaron-explains-how-he-is-a-fan-of-the-browns |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1980, Aaron made a guest appearance on [[Happy Days (TV series)|''Happy Days'']] episode "The Hucksters". In 1986, he made a guest appearance in "Just Another Fox in the Crowd", episode 30 of [[Crazy Like a Fox (TV series)|''Crazy Like a Fox'']].

In 1994, Aaron and his wife established the Chasing the Dream Foundation which awarded the Hank Aaron Chasing The Dream Scholarship to members of the [[Boys & Girls Clubs of America]].<ref>{{cite news |date=December 14, 2018 |title=Five Gene Matthews Boys & Girls Club members receive Hank Aaron Chasing The Dream Scholarships |url=https://bgcsdc.org/news-and-press/five-gene-matthews-boys-girls-club-members-receive-hank-aaron-chasing-the-dream-scholarships.html |access-date=March 15, 2024 |work=[[Boys & Girls Clubs of America]]}}</ref>

Aaron lived in the Atlanta area.<ref name="AL" /> In July 2013, media reported that his home was burglarized with jewelry and two [[BMW]] vehicles having been stolen. The cars were later recovered.<ref name="AL">{{cite web |last=Inabinett |first=Mark |date=July 19, 2013 |title=Police recover both of Hank Aaron's stolen cars after Atlanta home burglarized |url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/07/police_recover_both_of_hank_aa.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413144608/http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/07/police_recover_both_of_hank_aa.html |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2014 |website=[[List of Advance subsidiaries|AL.com]]}}</ref>

Aaron suffered from [[arthritis]] and had a partial hip replacement after a fall in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 15, 2014 |title=Hank Aaron has hip surgery |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/story/_/id/10460762/hank-aaron-partial-hip-replacement-surgery |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

On January 5, 2021, Aaron publicly received a [[COVID-19]] vaccination with the [[Moderna COVID-19 vaccine]] at the [[Morehouse School of Medicine]] at Atlanta, Georgia.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 6, 2021 |title=Hank Aaron gets COVID-19 vaccine to send message |url=https://www.espn.in/mlb/story/_/id/30658279/hank-aaron-gets-covid-19-vaccine-send-message |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> He and several other Black American public figures, including activist Joe Beasley, [[Andrew Young]], and [[Louis Wade Sullivan|Louis Sullivan]], did so to demonstrate the safety of the vaccine and encourage other Black Americans to do the same.<ref name="Schrade">{{cite news |last1=Schrade |first1=Brad |last2=Stirgus |first2=Eric |title=Health experts urge confidence in vaccine after superstar's death |date=January 22, 2021 |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus/health-experts-urge-confidence-in-vaccine-after-superstars-death/EGTRQS6DZZG3RGGRMZZFQ5IXLM/ |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |access-date=January 23, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125123414/https://www.ajc.com/news/coronavirus/health-experts-urge-confidence-in-vaccine-after-superstars-death/EGTRQS6DZZG3RGGRMZZFQ5IXLM/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Griffith |first1=Janelle |title='A boomerang effect': Hank Aaron's death is falsely linked to Covid vaccine |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/boomerang-effect-hank-aaron-s-death-falsely-linked-covid-vaccine-n1255735 |work=[[NBC News]] |date=January 27, 2021}}</ref>

== Death ==
On January 22, 2021, Aaron died in his sleep at his Atlanta residence at age 86.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sundby |first1=Alex |title=Hank Aaron, baseball legend who broke Babe Ruth's career home run record, has died at 86 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hank-aaron-dies-age-86/ |work=[[CBS News]] |date=January 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldstein |first=Richard |author-link=Richard Goldstein (writer, born 1942) |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Hank Aaron, Home Run King Who Defied Racism, Dies at 86 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/22/sports/baseball/hank-aaron-dead.html |access-date=2025-04-27 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> The manner of death was listed as [[natural causes]].<ref name="Vivlamore">{{cite news |last=Vivlamore |first=Chris |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Hank Aaron cause of death determined |work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]] |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/hank-aaron-cause-of-death-determined/ALZSF5LYJBGWVKXCQSBDKSZTRE/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126084814/https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/hank-aaron-cause-of-death-determined/ALZSF5LYJBGWVKXCQSBDKSZTRE/ |archive-date=January 26, 2021}}</ref> His funeral was held five days later at the Friendship Baptist Church. Amongst the attendees were former President [[Bill Clinton]], former baseball commissioner [[Bud Selig]], and former Atlanta mayor [[Andrew Young]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bowman |first1=Mark |date=January 28, 2021 |title=Memories of Aaron shared at funeral service |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-funeral-service |work=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> After the funeral, Aaron's body was interred at [[South-View Cemetery]] in Atlanta.<ref name="fox5">{{cite news |date=January 25, 2021 |title=Private funeral service for Hank Aaron announced |url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/private-funeral-service-for-hank-aaron-announced |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125151010/https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/private-funeral-service-for-hank-aaron-announced |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |website=[[WAGA-TV|Fox 5 Atlanta]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

=== Tributes ===
[[File:Hank Aaron Statue Truist.jpg|thumb|A large statue of Aaron inside [[Truist Park]] in [[Metro Atlanta]]. The piece is the centerpiece of the stadium's exhibit on the [[History of the Atlanta Braves|history of the Atlanta Braves]]; the number 755 behind the statue refers to [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders|Aaron's homerun record]].]]
Upon Aaron's death, the sports world expressed their condolences to him. Many current or former athletes and team owners such as MLB Commissioner [[Rob Manfred]], [[Magic Johnson]], [[David Ortiz]], [[Dusty Baker]], [[Eduardo Pérez]], [[Mike Trout]], and [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] chairman [[Jane Forbes Clark]] paid tribute to Aaron.<ref>{{cite web |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Tributes pour in honoring the legendary Hank Aaron |url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/tributes-pour-in-honoring-the-legendary-hank-aaron |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[WAGA-TV|Fox 5 Atlanta]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Logan |first=Anna |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Players, celebrities and fans react to the death of baseball legend Hank Aaron |url=https://cbs12.com/sports/content/players-celebrities-and-fans-react-to-the-death-of-baseball-legend-hank-aaron |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[WPEC]]}}</ref> Fans paid tribute to him by placing flowers in front of the home run wall where he hit his 715th home run at the former site of [[Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium]] and in front of his statue at [[Truist Park]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Her |first=Chenue |date=January 24, 2021 |title=Fan tributes to Hank Aaron |url=https://www.11alive.com/article/sports/mlb/atlanta-braves/fans-tribute-atlanta-hank-aaron/85-1688b90b-c8bf-480c-a27c-925f62ddd2c7 |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[WXIA-TV]]}}</ref>

Politicians also paid tribute to him. The [[Mayor of Atlanta]], [[Keisha Lance Bottoms]] released the following statement on his death:

{{blockquote|"Derek, our family and I join the nation in sending heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Billye Aaron, the beautiful wife of Henry "Hank" Aaron for nearly 50 years, and the entire family. This is a considerable loss for the entire city of Atlanta. While the world knew him as ‘Hammering Hank Aaron’ because of his incredible, record-setting baseball career, he was a cornerstone of our village, graciously and freely joining Mrs. Aaron in giving their presence and resources toward making our city a better place. As an adopted son of Atlanta, Mr. Aaron was part of the fabric that helped place Atlanta on the world stage. Our gratitude, thoughts and prayers are with the Aaron family."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.atlantaga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/13579/672?backlist=/|title=Press Releases &#124; Atlanta, GA|website=[[Atlanta]]|access-date=March 2, 2022}}</ref>}}

Georgia governor [[Brian Kemp]] ordered flags in the state of Georgia to be lowered [[half-staff]] in honor of him.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 23, 2021 |title=Gov. Kemp orders flags to fly at half-staff to honor Hank Aaron. |url=https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/gov-kemp-orders-flags-to-fly-at-half-staff-to-honor-hank-aaron |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[WTXL-TV]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=McKee |first=Cristi |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Georgia Governor Brian Kemp: flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Hank Aaron |url=https://www.wctv.tv/2021/01/23/georgia-governor-brian-kemp-flags-to-fly-at-half-staff-in-honor-of-hank-aaron/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[WCTV]]}}</ref>

U.S. [[President Joe Biden]] paid tribute to Aaron by releasing a statement calling him "an American hero".<ref>{{cite web |date=January 22, 2021 |title=Statement of President Joe Biden on the Passing of Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/01/22/statement-of-president-joe-biden-on-the-passing-of-henry-louis-hank-aaron/#:~:text=As%20a%20nation%2C%20we%20will,%E2%80%9D%20Aaron%2C%20an%20American%20hero |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[White House]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Selbe |first=Nick |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/01/23/president-joe-biden-hank-aaron-passing-american-hero |title=President Joe Biden calls Hank Aaron 'an American hero' |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=January 22, 2021}}</ref> Aaron also received tributes from former presidents [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Bill Clinton]], [[George W. Bush]], and [[Barack Obama]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harrigan |first=Thomas |date=January 22, 2021 |title=US Presidents honor Hammerin' Hank |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/us-presidents-remember-hank-aaron |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref>

The [[Atlanta Braves]] honored Hank Aaron during the [[2021 MLB season|2021 season]] by including his jersey number 44 on the back of the team [[Baseball cap|caps]] along with [[Phil Niekro]]'s jersey number, 35 (who died one month earlier in December 2020). They also painted 44 in the midfield at [[Truist Park]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Tucker |first=Tim |date=March 31, 2021 |title=Atlanta Braves 44: Hank Aaron's number painted on the field |url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-braves/aaron-niekro-numbers-will-be-on-braves-caps-this-season/ML3HNDDXINBI3HLVH4MNGDQFA4/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]}} The Milwaukee Brewers also honored Aaron by wearing a 44 patch on their jerseys.</ref>

At Game 3 of the [[2021 World Series]] in Truist Park, a [[Pre-game ceremony|pregame ceremony]] was held honoring Aaron where his son, Hank Jr., threw out a [[ceremonial first pitch]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Lacques |first=Gabe |date=October 30, 2021 |title=World Series Game 3: Braves hold emotional tribute to Hank Aaron |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/braves/2021/10/29/braves-tribute-hank-aaron-world-series/6202093001/ |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[USA Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |date=October 30, 2021 |title=Aaron's spirit lives on in World Series tribute |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-pregame-tribute-world-series-game-3 |access-date=March 2, 2022 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]] |archive-date=October 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211029230943/https://www.mlb.com/news/hank-aaron-pregame-tribute-world-series-game-3 |url-status=live }}</ref> After the Braves won the [[2021 World Series]], Aaron was honored in the design of the team's World Series [[championship ring]], which includes 755 total diamonds to commemorate Aaron's career home runs, and 44 emerald-cut diamonds to represent Aaron's jersey number with the Braves.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harvey |first=Coley |date=April 9, 2022 |title=Atlanta Braves receive World Series rings featuring 18.71-karat white gold, 755 diamonds and, yes, pearls |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33709431/atlanta-braves-receive-world-series-rings-featuring-1871-karat-white-gold-755-diamonds-yes-pearls |access-date=April 9, 2022 |website=[[ESPN]] |archive-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022225150/https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33709431/atlanta-braves-receive-world-series-rings-featuring-1871-karat-white-gold-755-diamonds-yes-pearls |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the [[2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game#Entertainment|2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game]], right after the sixth inning, a special tribute to Aaron's 715th home run was played, featuring special effects and a projector screening clips from the original [[NBC]] broadcast of the milestone on the field, featuring audio from both [[Vin Scully]] of that network, and [[Milo Hamilton]] from radio station [[WSB (AM)|WSB]]. A firework was shot through out of the ballpark at left field, with Hamilton calling out the milestone calls, while one of the mini scoreboards projects a recreation of the number "715" that was used at the old [[Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium]]. A spotlight was used as a special tribute afterward. This tribute was originally scheduled in 2021.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}}

==Awards and honors==
{{MLBBioRet
|Image = BravesRetired44.png
|Name = Hank Aaron
|Number = 44
|Team = Atlanta Braves
|Year = 1977
}}
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = milret44.PNG
|Name   = Hank Aaron
|Number = 44
|Team   = Milwaukee Brewers
|Year   = 1976
|}}

In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] during his first year of eligibility.<ref name=":1" />

Aaron was awarded the [[Spingarn Medal]] in 1976, from the [[NAACP]].<ref>{{cite web |year=2013 |title=Spingarn Medal Winners: 1915 to Today |url=http://www.naacp.org/pages/spingarn-medal-winners |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140802063355/http://www.naacp.org/pages/spingarn-medal-winners |archive-date=August 2, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2014 |website=[[NAACP]]}}</ref> In 1977, Aaron received the [[American Academy of Achievement]]'s Golden Plate Award.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hank Aaron Biography and Interview |url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/hank-aaron/#biography |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223071900/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/hank-aaron/#biography |archive-date=February 23, 2019 |access-date=April 8, 2019 |website=[[Academy of Achievement]]}}</ref> In 1988, Aaron was inducted into the [[Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame]] for his time spent on the Eau Claire Bears, Milwaukee Braves, and Milwaukee Brewers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hank Aaron, Class of 1988 |url=https://www.wihalloffame.com/hank-aaron |website=[[Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame]]}}</ref>

In 1999, Major League Baseball created the [[Hank Aaron Award]], to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Aaron's surpassing of Babe Ruth's career home run mark of 714 home runs and to honor Aaron's contributions to baseball.<ref>{{cite web |title=All-time winners |url=https://www.mlb.com/awards/hank-aaron |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403104646/http://m.mlb.com/awards/history-winners/?award_id=ALHAA |archive-date=April 3, 2019 |access-date=April 3, 2019 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> The award is given annually to the baseball hitters voted the most effective in each respective league. In 2002, scholar [[Molefi Kete Asante]] listed Aaron on his list of [[100 Greatest African Americans]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Schiavone |first=Tony |date=July 8, 2016 |title=Are These the 4 Most Important Athletes in Atlanta History? |url=https://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2016/07/08/are-these-the-4-most-important-athletes-in-atlanta-history/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130190710/https://atlanta.cbslocal.com/2016/07/08/are-these-the-4-most-important-athletes-in-atlanta-history/ |archive-date=January 30, 2021 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |website=[[WANF|CBS Atlanta]]}}</ref>

When the city of [[Atlanta]] was converting [[Centennial Olympic Stadium]] into a new baseball stadium, many local residents hoped the stadium would be named for Aaron. When the stadium was instead named [[Turner Field]] (after Atlanta Braves owner [[Ted Turner]]), a section of Capitol Avenue running past the stadium was renamed Hank Aaron Drive. The stadium's street number is 755, after Aaron's total number of home runs; the 755 street number was retained for Turner Field's replacement, [[Truist Park]]. In April 1997, a new baseball facility for the AA [[Mobile Bay Bears]] constructed in Aaron's hometown of [[Mobile, Alabama]] was named [[Hank Aaron Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hank Aaron Stadium Info |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-40994572 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413154552/http://www.milb.com/content/page.jsp?ymd=20090310&content_id=40994572&sid=t417&vkey=team1 |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |work=[[Minor League Baseball]]}}</ref> [[Georgia State University]] acquired [[Turner Field]] and has since rebuilt it as [[Center Parc Stadium]], in 2017, and university officials plan to build a new baseball park on the former [[Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium]] site, incorporating the left field wall where Aaron hit his record-breaking home run.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barrier |first1=Bob |last2=McClellan |first2=Scott |title=Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/park/atlanta-fulton-county-stadium/ |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]] |access-date=January 22, 2021 |archive-date=March 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311012319/https://sabr.org/bioproj/park/atlanta-fulton-county-stadium/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, [[Major League Baseball]] announced the introduction of the [[Hank Aaron Award]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hank Aaron Timeline|work=[[The Sporting News]] |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/aaron/timeline.html|access-date=February 1, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100622000852/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/aaron/timeline.html |archive-date=June 22, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The award honors the best overall offensive performer in the [[American League|American]] and [[National League (baseball)|National League]]. It was the first major award to be introduced in more than thirty years and had the distinction of being the first award named after a player who was still alive.<ref>{{cite web |year=2012 |title=HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT |url=http://www.marquette.edu/universityhonors/honors_aaron.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150124185230/http://marquette.edu/universityhonors/honors_aaron.shtml |archive-date=January 24, 2015 |access-date=November 14, 2014 |website=[[Marquette University]]}}</ref> Later that year, he ranked fifth on ''[[The Sporting News]]''{{-'}} list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Sporting News Selects Baseball's 100 Greatest Players|magazine=[[The Sporting News]]|date=April 26, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050416222917/http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/index-5.html |archive-date=April 16, 2005 |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/index-5.html}}</ref> and was elected to the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The All-Century Team |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119065808/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp |archive-date=January 19, 2010 |access-date=February 15, 2007 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref>

In June 2000, [[Tufts University]] awarded Aaron an honorary Doctor of Public Service.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 19, 2019 |title=Honorary Degree Recipients |url=https://trustees.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019-05-19_honorary_degrees.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190523191731/https://trustees.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019-05-19_honorary_degrees.pdf |archive-date=May 23, 2019 |access-date=March 31, 2021 |website=[[Tufts University]]}}</ref> In July 2000 and again in July 2002, Aaron threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game]], played at [[Turner Field]] and Miller Park now named [[American Family Field]], respectively.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 30, 2000 |title=Aaron to throw out first pitch at All-Star Game |url=http://amarillo.com/stories/063000/spo_LS0546.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413143748/http://amarillo.com/stories/063000/spo_LS0546.shtml |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2014 |website=[[Amarillo Globe-News]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

[[File:President George W. Bush presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hank Aaron.jpg|thumb|Aaron accepting the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] from President [[George W. Bush]] in 2002]]

On January 8, 2001, Aaron was presented with the [[Presidential Citizens Medal]] by President [[Bill Clinton]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Messina |first=Paul |year=2011 |title=Presidential Citizens Medal |url=http://raisedbytv.com/tag/presidential-citizens-medal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413145030/http://raisedbytv.com/tag/presidential-citizens-medal/ |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2014 |website=Raised by TV}}</ref> He received the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], the nation's highest civilian honor, from President [[George W. Bush]] in June 2002.<ref>{{cite press release |title=President Bush Announces the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom |date=June 20, 2002 |publisher=[[White House Office of the Press Secretary]] |url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/06/20020620-16.html |access-date=May 5, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027112010/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2002/06/20020620-16.html |archive-date=October 27, 2011}}</ref> In 2001, a recreational trail in Milwaukee connecting [[American Family Field]] with [[Lake Michigan]] along the [[Menomonee River]] was dedicated as the [[Hank Aaron State Trail]]. Aaron attended the dedication. Aaron was on the Board of Selectors of [[Jefferson Awards for Public Service]].<ref>{{cite web |year=2013 |title=Our Board of Selectors |url=http://www.jeffersonawards.org/about/#our-selectors |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822190847/http://www.jeffersonawards.org/board#our-selectors |archive-date=August 22, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2014 |website=[[Jefferson Awards for Public Service|Jefferson Awards Foundation]]}}</ref>

In 2002, Aaron was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The award was created to honor [[Vince Lombardi]]'s legacy and is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the coach.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame |url=https://www.lombardifoundation.org/hall-of-fame |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403142351/https://www.lombardifoundation.org/hall-of-fame |archive-date=April 3, 2019 |access-date=April 3, 2019 |website=Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation}}</ref>

[[File:2 - Hank Aaron 1 - Statue.jpg|thumb|right|A commemorative statue of Hank Aaron on display in the lobby at the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]] in Cooperstown, NY. ]] Aaron dedicated the new exhibit "Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream" at the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] on April 25, 2009.<ref>{{cite web |title=Overview: Guide to Exhibits |url=http://baseballhall.org/museum/exhibits/overview |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209035315/http://baseballhall.org/museum/exhibits/overview |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2014 |website=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]]}} [https://s3.amazonaws.com/EducationDownloads/2021Guide_English.pdf 2021 PDF version]</ref> Statues of Aaron stand outside the front entrance of both [[Turner Field]] and [[American Family Field]]. There is also a statue of him as an 18-year-old shortstop outside [[Carson Park (baseball stadium)|Carson Park]] in [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]], where he played his first season in the Braves' minor league system.<ref>{{cite web |year=2013 |title=About Carson Park: Eau Claire, Wisconsin |url=http://www.eauclaireexpress.com/carson_park/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407072000/http://northwoodsleague.com/eau-claire-express/team/ballpark/ |archive-date=April 7, 2014 |access-date=May 5, 2014 |website=[[Eau Claire Express]]}}</ref>

He was named a 2010 Georgia Trustee by the [[Georgia Historical Society]], in conjunction with the [[Governor of Georgia]], to recognize accomplishments and community service that reflect the ideals of the founding body of [[Trustee Georgia|Trustees]], which governed the Georgia colony from 1732 to 1752.<ref>{{cite web|last=Van Brimmer|first=Adam|url=http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-02-14/ted-turner-hank-aaron-influenced-each-other-well-georgia|title=Ted Turner, Hank Aaron influenced each other as well as Georgia|newspaper=[[Savannah Morning News]]|date=February 14, 2010|access-date=June 25, 2012|archive-date=September 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917231251/http://savannahnow.com/news/2010-02-14/ted-turner-hank-aaron-influenced-each-other-well-georgia|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2011, the President of [[Princeton University]] [[Shirley M. Tilghman]] awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Aaron.<ref>{{cite web |title=Princeton awards six honorary degrees |url=https://www.princeton.edu/news/2011/05/31/princeton-awards-six-honorary-degrees |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801134717/https://www.princeton.edu/news/2011/05/31/princeton-awards-six-honorary-degrees |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=May 29, 2020 |website=[[Princeton University]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=May 31, 2011 |title=Aaron receives honorary degree from Princeton |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=6611214 |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818020419/https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=6611214 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2015, Aaron was one of the five inaugural recipients of the Portrait of a Nation Prize, an award granted by the [[National Portrait Gallery (United States)|National Portrait Gallery]] in recognition of "exemplary achievements in the fields of civil rights, business, entertainment, science, and sports."<ref>{{cite web |date=November 9, 2015 |title=Portrait of Nation Prize Winner: Hank Aaron |url=https://npg.si.edu/blog/portrait-nation-prize-winner-hank-aaron |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408030221/https://npg.si.edu/blog/portrait-nation-prize-winner-hank-aaron |archive-date=April 8, 2020 |website=[[National Portrait Gallery (United States)|National Portrait Gallery]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Freed |first1=Benjamin |title=National Portrait Gallery Honors Aretha Franklin, Carolina Herrera, Hank Aaron |url=https://washingtonian.com/2015/11/16/national-portrait-gallery-honors-aretha-franklin-carolina-herrera-hank-aaron/ |access-date=January 24, 2021 |work=[[Washingtonian (magazine)|Washingtonian]] |date=November 16, 2015 |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127150702/https://www.washingtonian.com/2015/11/16/national-portrait-gallery-honors-aretha-franklin-carolina-herrera-hank-aaron/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2016, Aaron received the [[Order of the Rising Sun]], Gold Rays with Rosette from [[Akihito]], the [[Emperor of Japan]].<ref>{{cite news |date=January 14, 2016 |title=Hank Aaron presented with Order of the Rising Sun |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/14571492/japan-honors-hank-aaron-order-rising-sun |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

The Elite Development Invitational, a youth baseball tournament organized by the Major League Baseball and the [[MLB Players Association]] to increase diversity in the sport, was renamed the Hank Aaron Invitational for the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 26, 2018 |title=MLB renames developmental program after Hank Aaron |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25093697/mlb-elite-development-invitational-renamed-hank-aaron |website=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |archive-date=July 3, 2020 |access-date=July 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703184058/https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25093697/mlb-elite-development-invitational-renamed-hank-aaron |url-status=live }}</ref>

After Aaron's death, the [[Atlanta Falcons]] of the NFL and [[Atlanta United]] of MLS retired his No. 44 for the 2021 season (the [[Atlanta Hawks]] of the NBA had already retired No. 44 for [[Pete Maravich]]).<ref>{{cite news |title=Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United retire Hank Aaron's No. 44 for 2021 season |url=https://www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/atlanta-falcons-atlanta-united-retire-hank-aarons-no-44-2021-season/NKUE5LJLNZHZ7BXRTLNHGX2GAQ/ |work=[[WSB-TV]] |date=January 22, 2021}}</ref> Additionally, Gwinnett County [[minor league baseball]] teams, the Triple-A [[Gwinnett Stripers]] (2021 season) and Double-A [[Atlanta Gladiators]] (2021–22 season), also temporarily retired No. 44 in Aaron's honor, as did the Braves' other minor league affiliates.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Clemons |first1=David |title=Stripers to retire numbers of Aaron, Niekro |work=[[Walton Tribune]] |date=June 14, 2021 |url=https://www.waltontribune.com/sports/article_db90d246-cd79-11eb-b69f-fb16d3d64516.html}}</ref>

In April 2021, the Forrest Hill Academy was renamed the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy. The alternative high school had been named after [[Nathan Bedford Forrest]], a general in the [[Confederate Army]] and the [[Ku Klux Klan]]'s first Grand Wizard.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Inabinett |first1=Mark |date=April 13, 2021 |title=Hank Aaron replaces Confederate general in school name |url=https://www.al.com/sports/2021/04/hank-aaron-replaces-confederate-general-in-school-name.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414012539/https://www.al.com/sports/2021/04/hank-aaron-replaces-confederate-general-in-school-name.html |archive-date=April 14, 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2021 |website=[[List of Advance subsidiaries|AL.com]] |publisher=[[Advance Publications]] |ref=ForrestHill}}</ref>

In 2022, a recording of the [[WSB (AM)|WSB]] broadcast of the April 8, 1974, Braves–Dodgers game in which Aaron hit his 715th home run was selected by the [[Library of Congress]] for preservation in the [[National Recording Registry]].<ref>{{cite web |date=April 13, 2022 |title=National Recording Registry Inducts Music from Alicia Keys, Ricky Martin, Journey and More in 2022 |url=https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/national-recording-registry-inducts-music-from-alicia-keys--ricky-martin--journey-and-more-in-2022/s/fee30140-0454-401c-a2a2-205298e32fb1 |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=[[Library of Congress]] |language=en |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220413140826/https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/national-recording-registry-inducts-music-from-alicia-keys--ricky-martin--journey-and-more-in-2022/s/fee30140-0454-401c-a2a2-205298e32fb1 |url-status=live }}</ref> In May of the same year, [[Tulane University]] gave Aaron a posthumous [[honorary degree]] of [[Doctor of Humane Letters]], the first posthumous honorary degree ever awarded by the university. It was presented during the university's unified [[Graduation|commencement ceremony]] and was accepted on his behalf by his widow Billye.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Travis |first=Mary Ann |date=May 20, 2022 |title=News Article Imported {{!}} Commencement |url=https://commencement.tulane.edu/news/1650533/class%20of%202022%20praised%20for%20persistence%20at%20unified%20commencement%20in%20yulman%20stadium |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=[[Tulane University]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Tulane University Unified Commencement Ceremony | website=[[YouTube]] | date=May 21, 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFbemgl16mI |language=en-GB |access-date=November 15, 2022}}</ref>

On July 31, 2024, the [[USPS]] released a stamp honoring Aaron.<ref>{{cite web|title=Digest: New US Stamps, 2024, part 6 |url=https://findyourstampsvalue.com/news/digest-new-us-stamps-2024-part-6 |website=findyourstampsvalue.com |date=July 31, 2024 |access-date=November 5, 2024}}</ref> In 2024, several Hank Aaron memorabilia items were sold at [[Heritage Auctions]] including his game-used bats, jerseys and baseball cards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hank Aaron rookie jersey sold for $2.1 million while auction company, Braves battle in court |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hank-aaron-rookie-jersey-sold-171422565.html}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Aaron Monument]]
* [[Henry Aaron Field]]
* [[Major League Baseball titles leaders]]
* [[Ruth–Aaron pair]]
* [[List of Gold Glove Award winners at outfield]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball batting champions]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career extra base hits leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career slugging percentage leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball doubles records]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball home run records]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball individual streaks]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball runs batted in records]]
* [[List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Book sources==
* {{cite book |last1=Aaron |first1=Henry |last2=Wheeler |first2=Lonnie |title=I Had A Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story |year=1990 |publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=978-0061873379 |url=https://archive.org/details/ihadhammerhankaa00aaro/mode/2up |ref=Aaron}}
* {{cite book|last=Stanton|first=Tom|title=Hank Aaron and the Home Run That Changed America|isbn=978-0-06-072290-6|publisher=Perennial Currents|date=2005 |url=https://archive.org/details/hankaaronhomerun0000stan |url-access=registration |ref=Stanton}}
* {{cite book|last=Vascellaro|first=Charlie|title=Hank Aaron: A Biography|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|date=2005|isbn=978-0-313-33001-8|url=https://archive.org/details/hankaaronbiograp0000vasc |ref=Vascellaro}}
* {{cite book|last=Bryant|first=Howard|title=The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron|publisher=Pantheon Books|location=New York|date=2010|isbn=978-0375424854 |edition=1st |url=https://archive.org/details/lastherolifeofhe00brya |ref=Bryant}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{baseballstats|mlb=110001|espn=17499|br=a/aaronha01|fangraphs=1000001|brm=aaron-001hen|retro=A/Paaroh101}}
* {{bbhof|aaron-hank}}
* {{sabrbio|hank-aaron}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0007459|name=Hank Aaron}}
* {{Find a Grave|221485980}}

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{{s-bef|before = [[Babe Ruth]]}}
{{s-ttl|title  = [[List of Major League Baseball progressive career home runs leaders|Career home run record holders]]|years = 1974–2007}}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Barry Bonds]]}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Willie Mays]]<br />[[Roberto Clemente]]}}
{{s-ttl|title  = [[Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award|Major League Baseball Player of the Month]]|years = May 1959 (with [[Harvey Haddix]])<br />June 1967}}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Roy Face]]<br />[[Jim Ray Hart]]}}
{{s-end}}

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